'We are top of the league,' sung the Chelsea contingent as they saluted a team that had delivered when the pressure was on - Joe Cole and Didier Drogba goals sending the Blues back to the summit.

As the players took the applause at the end, no-one could deny the performance hadn't warranted the victory, Cole scoring his second league goal of the season in a first-half that had seen Ancelotti's men the better side.

The second-half saw the Blues loses control of the play for lengthy periods and it has to be admitted Drogba was fortunate with the offside flag before powering in to make it 2-0, but Federico Macheda's goal for the home side (possibly handball), came late enough that Chelsea could hang on for three vital points.

Once again Florent Malouda was immense going forward down the right but a special mention must go to some of the less-heralded performers this campaign. Joe Cole might just have played himself back into the England squad with this display. Deco was understated but effective with his passing and Paulo Ferreira performed up to his standard of the championship-winning years. Nearly all of Man United's best chances were created from the opposite wing to his.

It was also an early afternoon when the Man United old guard were shown up, Ryan Giggs and above all Paul Scholes frequently spraying passes anywhere but to a red shirt.

Ancelotti went for a surprise with his team selection by following the old adage of not changing a winning team. That meant leaving three-goal Drogba on the bench, going against the manager's pre-match hints.

Chelsea went straight on the attack, Deco slicing a half-chance wide in the first minute. Then it took a good header from Ferdinand to prevent Anelka reaching a Ferreira cross. Then Alex headed a corner wide in a positive start by the visitors.

In a change from the anticipated strategy, Ferguson initially asked Park to play in the centre of midfield and hassle Mikel with Giggs asked to roll back the years and play wide on the left. They swapped back midway through the opening period.

Manchester United were not going to go too long without an effort on goal and their first chance came on eight minutes when Berbatov found space to head a Valencia cross, but the attempt was comfortably wide.

It heralded the start of a period of possession for the home team. Evra escaped a Cole challenge but shot straight at Cech but then the Blues came back strongly, Cole and Lampard probing away patiently outside the Man U area for an opening. It took Malouda to find a way through.

The in-form Frenchman picked up the ball just inside the left touchline and shrugged off Valencia. Into the box and Fletcher's challenge was similarly dismissed before he crossed low. Cole was well-policed at the near post but found a moment of inspiration to backheel past the helpless Van der Sar and into the Stretford End net. The Chelsea section at the other end of the ground erupted. Nineteen minutes had passed and the Blues were on our way.

There was an escape five minutes later when Park took advantage of an Alex slip to surge into the box. His legs tangled with a Zhirkov challenge. There was contact, the Korean made a lot of it and referee Mike Dean waved play on. Many times in this stadium the spot-kick would have been given.

Scholes was lucky to escape a yellow card for a trademark late tackle on Deco before it was Chelsea's turn to look to the referee. Anelka was barged to the ground in a hip-to-hip challenge by Neville but again no penalty was given.

Scholes did finally receive a card for a lunge on Malouda's run as Chelsea continued to look bright.

Man United's best chance of the first half was wasted by Bebatov's reluctance to use his left foot to shoot when the chance was there 10 yards out. Park had been sharper to the ball than Mikel and found the Bulgarian who instead opted to spin back and Lampard was able to challenge. That was in the 43rd minute and seconds later Neville became the home side's second booking for going through the back of Malouda.

Chelsea could have extended the lead just three minutes into the second half when Ferreira overlapped onto a perfectly-weighted Cole pass with Evra chasing our right back into the area. Declining the shot in unfamiliar territory, Ferreira opted to square to Anelka but got the angle wrong.

For the next 20 minutes however, Chelsea allowed the home team more possession than at any stage so far. Park, who was back in the middle, shot wide after Terry had done excellently to pressure him; it took a determined Alex to clear another attack and then Berbatov headed a Giggs cross a yard wide.

Man United continued on top without working Cech into the final quarter of the game so it was time to send for Drogba, a straight swap for Anelka with 69 minutes on the clock.

Deco was booked for catching Giggs late before Ferguson made two substitutions - Macheda for Park who had troubled Chelsea as much as anyone, and Nani for Scholes as they went 4-4-2.

The changes kept coming - Kalou brought on for Cole. We didn't change shape but began to ask questions again. Zhirkov and Kalou should have done better with the ball in good areas.

The next time Kalou had the ball the result was a whole lot better. He slipped the ball forward to Drogba who was a yard offside but the flag stayed down. From angle the finish was simply awesome, smashed past Van der Sar and inside the near post.

There were 12 minutes left to hang on but we could only keep them out for two. Nani crossed, Cech managed to push it out but this time the luck favoured the Red Devils as it rebounded off Macheda's arm and agonisingly dropped over the line.

The Old Trafford fans briefly turned up the heat but the result was a booking for dissent for Fletcher, his last contribution.

As the clock ticked to 90 minutes, Man United, who were enjoying most of the ball did work Cech through Berbatov but it was comfortable for the keeper.

Four minutes of Fergie Time were shown. Man United won a succession of free-kicks as the seconds dragged by nervously but we survived. It was another one to join the extensive collection of great days at Old Trafford.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Alex, Terry (c), Zhirkov; Deco (Ballack 78), Mikel, Lampard; J Cole (Kalou 71), Anelka (Drogba 69), Malouda.
Scorers J Cole 19, Drogba 78.
Booked Deco 69.

Man United (4-2-3-1): Van der Sar; Neville (c), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Fletcher (Gibson 85), Scholes (Nani 71); Giggs, Park (Macheda 71), Valencia; Berbatov.
Scorer Macheda 80.
Booked Scholes 34, Neville 43, Fletcher 84.